Department of the Interior May 2024 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, Indian Affairs, are proposing to renew four (4) information collections. We are seeking comments from the public, and other Federal agencies, as part of our continuing effort to minimize burdens and enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are proposing a new information collection.

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Thomas Burke Memorial Washington State Museum (Burke Museum) intends to repatriate a certain cultural item that meets the definition of a sacred object and that has a cultural affiliation with the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), Boston Children's Museum intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of sacred objects or objects of cultural patrimony and that have a cultural affiliation with the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), San Diego State University (SDSU) intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of objects of cultural patrimony and that have a cultural affiliation with the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), Mercyhurst University has completed an inventory of human remains and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Kent State University, Department of Anthropology, has completed an inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects and has determined that there is cultural affiliation between the human remains and associated funerary objects and the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), determine endangered species status under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (Act), as amended, for the dunes sagebrush lizard (Sceloporus arenicolus), a lizard species found only in southeastern New Mexico and west Texas. This rule extends the protections of the Act to this species. Because we have concluded that the designation of critical habitat for the dunes sagebrush lizard is prudent but not determinable at this time, we will consider critical habitat for the species in a separate, future rulemaking.

The National Park Service is soliciting nominations for the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Review Committee (Committee). The Committee has an upcoming vacancy for a traditional Indian religious leader and two vacancies for members nominated by national museum organizations or national scientific organizations. The Secretary of the Interior will appoint members from nominations submitted by Indian Tribes, Native Hawaiian organizations, traditional Native American religious leaders, national museum organizations, or national scientific organizations.

The plats of survey of the following described lands are scheduled to be officially filed 30 days after the date of this publication in the Bureau of Land Management, New Mexico State Office, Santa Fe, New Mexico. The surveys announced in this notice are necessary for the management of lands administered by the agency indicated.

In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 and the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972, the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Western Montana Resource Advisory Council (Council) will meet as follows.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is scheduled to file plats of survey 30 calendar days from the date of this publication in the BLM Wyoming State Office, Cheyenne, Wyoming. These surveys, which were executed at the request of the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Reclamation and the BLM are necessary for the management of these lands.

In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended (FLMPA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a Proposed Resource Management Plan (RMP) Amendment and Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for federal coal managed by the Buffalo Field Office and by this notice is announcing the opportunity to protest the Proposed RMP Amendment.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invite the public to comment on an application to conduct certain activities with a foreign species that is listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). With some exceptions, the ESA prohibits activities with listed species unless Federal authorization is issued that allows such activity. The ESA also requires that we invite public comment before issuing permits for any activity otherwise prohibited by the ESA with respect to any endangered species.

The Department of the Interior (the Department or DOI), acting through the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) ("the agencies"), is finalizing regulatory amendments to its renewable energy regulations under the authority of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA). The notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) for this final rule was published in the Federal Register on January 30, 2023. While the NPRM contemplated amendments only to the Department's existing renewable energy regulations that are administered by BOEM, this final rule also finalizes regulatory amendments previously proposed by BOEM that are now administered by BSEE and includes amendments to regulations resulting from the "Reorganization of Title 30Renewable Energy and Alternative Uses of Existing Facilities on the Outer Continental Shelf" direct final rule, issued by the Department on January 31, 2023. This final rule eliminates unnecessary requirements for the deployment of meteorological (met) buoys; increases survey flexibility; improves the project design and installation verification process; establishes a public Renewable Energy Leasing Schedule; reforms BOEM's renewable energy auction regulations; tailors financial assurance requirements and instruments; clarifies safety management system regulations; revises other provisions; and makes technical corrections. This final rule advances the Department's energy policies in a safe and environmentally sound manner that will provide a fair return to the U.S. taxpayer.

The Bureau of Reclamation is publishing this notice to announce that a Federal Advisory Committee meeting of the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Advisory Council (Council) will take place.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) proposes to renew with changes an information collection.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is correcting a final rule that appeared in the Federal Register on April 12, 2024.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service or we) is proposing to establish the frameworks from which States may select season dates, limits, and other options for the 2024-25 migratory game bird hunting season. We annually prescribe outside limits (which we call frameworks) within which States may select hunting seasons. Frameworks specify the outside dates, season lengths, shooting hours, bag and possession limits, and areas where migratory game bird hunting may occur. These frameworks are necessary to allow State selections of seasons and limits and to allow harvest at levels compatible with migratory game bird population status and habitat conditions. Migratory game bird hunting seasons provide opportunities for recreation and sustenance and aid Federal, State, and Tribal governments in the management of migratory game birds.

We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce receipt of an application from SF Azalea, LLC (applicant) for an incidental take permit (ITP) under the Endangered Species Act. The applicant requests the ITP to take the federally endangered San Joaquin kit fox (Vulpes macrotis mutica) and giant kangaroo rat (Dipodomys ingens) incidental to development activities in Kern County, California. We request public comment on the application, which includes the applicant's proposed habitat conservation plan (HCP), and the Service's preliminary determination that the proposed permitting action may be eligible for a categorical exclusion pursuant to the Council on Environmental Quality's National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations, the Department of the Interior's (DOI) NEPA regulations, and the DOI Departmental Manual. To make this preliminary determination, we prepared a draft environmental action statement and low-effect screening form, which is also available for public review. We invite comment from the public and local, State, Tribal, and Federal agencies.

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Metropolitan State University of Denver (MSU Denver), Department of Sociology and Anthropology has completed an inventory of human remains and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University (PMAE) has completed an inventory of human remains and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice. The human remains were collected at the Shoshone Indian School in Fremont County, WY, Fort Mohave Indian School in Mohave County, AZ, Chemawa (Salem) Indian School in Marion County, OR, Carson Indian School in Carson City County, NV, Sherman Institute in Riverside County, CA, and American Museum of Natural History in New York County, NY.

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Placer County Museums has completed an inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and associated funerary objects and Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Metropolitan State University of Denver (MSU Denver), Department of Sociology and Anthropology has completed an inventory of human remains and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Placer County Museums intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of objects of cultural patrimony and that have a cultural affiliation with the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.